1900 PSA Head of the River
The race was conducted on Saturday 30th June 1900 at 2.30pm.
The racing this year took place in outrigger fours with poppet gates. This was primarily because four matching boats could be used.
Elimination heats were required to create a final of two crews.
Bill Cooper in his WA rowing history records on the racing as follows.
.... the race was rowed in outriggers, but eliminatory heats were still required. There was drama in the first heat, when young Gallop in the St Peter's crew collapsed early in the race. The Scotch College crew's gallant offer to re-row it could not be accepted, for St Peter's did not have a substitute oarsman. The race was that school's last, and the final was won by CBC.
The report of the racing the Western Mail on 7th July 1900 was as follows.
The first heat-was rowed a little after 2.30 o'clock, between teams from the Scotch College and St. Peter's College. This resulted in a win for the Scotch College, as No. 3 of St. Peter's (H. Gallop) fainted after some little distance had been covered. The Scotch College generously offered to row the heat again, but St. Peter's were unable to do so, as they could not obtain a substitute for Gallop.
The second heat was contested by crews representing the Perth High School and the Christian Brothers' College. This resulted in a rather easy win for the Christian Brothers' crew by two lengths.
The final was won by the Christian Brothers' crew, as, owing to bow (H. F. Patterson) of the Scotch College being overcome, the crew had to give up.
The times of the heats were not taken.
The prize of £2 2s. which is given annually by Mr. Douglas Gawler for presentation to the boy showing the best rowing form, was awarded to R. Joyce, stroke in the Christian Brothers' crew.
The Challenge Cup for School Fours
Source: Western Mail 7 July 1900 page 36
Head of the River - Fours
Public Schools Challenge Cup
No time taken
Margin: 2 lengths (although other reports show that Scotch College has to withdraw during the race due to illness of a crew member)
1st Christian Brother College (later Aquinas College) - Bow: A Briggs, 2: A Brand, 3: F Williams, Str: R Joyce, Cox: F E Deakin, Cch: R Cobham
2nd Scotch College - Bow: H F Paterson, 2: A G Davies, 3: C P Richardson, Str: A W Sinclair, Cox: K S Wegg, Cch: W H Young
Winning Christian Brothers College crew
Preliminary rounds:
E1: 1st Scotch College, 2nd St Peter's College, margin five lengths (other reports state no margin given that St Peter's had to withdraw)
St Peter's College - Bow: D Clark, 2: C Clark, 3: H Gallop, Str: F S Miller, Cox: E Dermer
E2: 1st CBC, 2nd Perth High School, margin seven lengths (other reports 2 length - regardless it was reported as easily)
High School - Bow: G A Cooper, 2: R E Burges, 3: H V Piesse, Str: A A Forrest,Cox: SA A Strickland
Winning CBC crew
Second placed Scotch College crew
Sources
Home and Dry - a history of rowing in Western Australia by W S Cooper, published in 2008 by Rowing WA, page 55.
Subsequent regatta programs displaying past results.
Western Mail 7th July 1900 pages 36 and 45 for both images and race report
Image of CBC in boat from Bill Cooper's history Home and Dry - originally from PSA